בְּ֭נִי אַל־יָלֻ֣זוּ מֵעֵינֶ֑יךָ נְצֹ֥ר תֻּ֝שִׁיָּ֗ה וּמְזִמָּֽה׃
מײַן זון, זאָלן זײ ניט אַװעק פֿון דײַנע אױגן;היט קלוגשאַפֿט און געשײַטקײט,
Ramban
AND THE ETERNAL HAD BLESSED ABRAHAM IN ALL THINGS. I.e., with riches, possessions, honor, longevity and children, which are all the treasures of man. Scripture mentions this in order to say that Abraham was perfect in every detail, lacking in no respect save seeing his son have children who would inherit his superior position and his honor. This was why he desired it.
Now our Rabbis have a wonderful insight into this verse. They said:65Baba Bathra 16b. “And the Eternal had blessed Abraham ‘bakol’ (in all things). Rabbi Meir said that Abraham was blessed in that he did not have a daughter. Rabbi Yehudah said that he did have a daughter. Acheirim66Literally “other ones,” other Rabbis besides those mentioned. Rabbi Meir is sometimes called by this name. Here, however, it could not refer to him since his opinion has already been stated. Acheirim here refers to anonymous authorities or to the opinion of Rabbi Meir’s master, Elisha ben Abuyah, who was also known as Acheir. See Chagigah 15a. say that he did have a daughter and her name was Bakol.”67The profounder meaning of this saying will be explained further in the text. Rabbi Meir thus explained that Abraham did not have a daughter. This was a blessing for Abraham for he could not have married her except to the cursed sons of Canaan. If he were to send her to his country, she would also worship the idols as they did because a woman is subject to the authority of her husband. Indeed, Abraham did not want his worthy children from his wife Sarah to go outside the Land, and surely not that they worship the idols. Rabbi Yehudah, however, explained that Abraham did have a daughter since the Merciful One did not even cause him to lack a daughter, and that was the blessing implied by the expression, in all things, for he had everything that people desire, completely without exception. Then came Acheirim and mentioned the name of the daughter. Now truthfully, the intent of Acheirim and their controversy with Rabbi Yehudah were not merely to inform us of the name of this daughter. Far it be from them to expend the great and generalized blessing of Abraham on this matter, i.e., that Scripture is saying that G-d blessed him with one daughter with that name. However, Acheirim established a new interpretation on this verse, a very profound matter, and they explained with it one of the secrets of the Torah. Thus they said that the word bakol hints at a great matter, namely, that the Holy One, blessed be He, has an attribute called Kol (All), so called because it is the foundation of everything. It is with reference to this attribute that it says, I am the Eternal that maketh ‘Kol’ (all).68Isaiah 44:24. And this is also what Scripture says, And the profit of the earth is ‘bakol’ (in all),69Ecclesiastes 5:8. that is to say, the profit of the earth and the abundant goodness that is bestowed upon all that come into the world is on account of this attribute Kol. It is the eighth attribute of the thirteen attributes.70See Ramban Exodus 34:6. And there is another attribute called bath [literally “daughter”] that emanates from it, and with it He moves everything. This is “the Court of the Holy One, blessed be He,” that is hinted at in the word, Vahashem (And the Eternal), in all places. It is called kalah (bride) in the book of The Song of Songs because it is comprised of hakol (the All), and it is this attribute which the Sages have surnamed Knesseth Yisrael (the assembly of Israel) in many places because it is the gathering of hakol (the All). It was this attribute which was to Abraham as a bath because he was the man of kindness, and he conducted himself in accordance with it. This was why Acheirim said that this blessing with which Abraham had been blessed in all things does not allude either to his having begotten a daughter from his wife Sarah, as Rabbi Yehudah said, or not, as Rabbi Meir claimed, but instead it hints at a great matter, i.e., that he was blessed with an attribute called bath which is contained in the attribute Kol, and is therefore also called Kol, being analogous to the expression, For My name is in him.71Exodus 23:21. Thus Abraham was blessed in heaven and on earth. This is why he said, By the Eternal, the G-d of heaven and the G-d of the earth.72Verse 3 here.
This matter is to be found hinted at in the traditions of our Rabbis in many places. Thus they said in the Midrash Chazita:73Another name for the Midrash Rabbah on the Song of Songs. The name Chazita is derived from the first word in the verse with which this Midrash opens. ‘Chazita’ (Seest thou) a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings. (Proverbs 22:29.) The Midrash quoted is found ibid., 3:21. “Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai asked Rabbi Eliezer the son of Rabbi Yosi, ‘Have you possibly heard from your father of the meaning of the verse, The crown wherewith his mother hath crowned him?’74Song of Songs 3:11. He said to him, ‘Yes.’ He asked, ‘How?’ He replied, ‘It is like a king who had an only daughter whom he loved very much, and he would call her “my daughter.” This did not completely express his love for her until he called her “my sister.” Still he was not satisfied until he called her “my mother.” In the same way, the Holy One, blessed be He, loved Israel in the beginning and called them “My daughter.” It is this which Scripture says, Hearken, O daughter, and consider.75Psalms 45:11. This did not completely express His love for them until He called them “My sister,” as it is said, Open to me, my sister, my love.76Song of Songs 5:2. Still He was not satisfied until He called them “My mother,” as it is said, Attend unto Me, O My people, ‘ule’umi’ (O My nation).77Isaiah 51:4. The word is written le’imi (O My mother).’ Then Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai arose and kissed him on his head, and he said to him, ‘Had I come to listen to this word of yours it would have been sufficient.’…”
Now, had the commentator who prides himself on his knowledge of the Torah’s secrets78Reference here is to Ibn Ezra who often prides himself on knowing the secrets of the Torah but who, in the case of this Midrash concerning Abraham’s having a daughter by the name of Bakol, criticizes the interpretation by commenting that if that were the case, the word bakol should have had an additional letter beth preceding it and meaning “and G-d blessed Abraham ‘with’ bakol.” known this, his lips would be dumb and not deride the words of our Rabbis. Therefore, I have written this in order to silence those who speak arrogantly against the righteous one.79See Psalms 31:19.
Now our Rabbis have a wonderful insight into this verse. They said:65Baba Bathra 16b. “And the Eternal had blessed Abraham ‘bakol’ (in all things). Rabbi Meir said that Abraham was blessed in that he did not have a daughter. Rabbi Yehudah said that he did have a daughter. Acheirim66Literally “other ones,” other Rabbis besides those mentioned. Rabbi Meir is sometimes called by this name. Here, however, it could not refer to him since his opinion has already been stated. Acheirim here refers to anonymous authorities or to the opinion of Rabbi Meir’s master, Elisha ben Abuyah, who was also known as Acheir. See Chagigah 15a. say that he did have a daughter and her name was Bakol.”67The profounder meaning of this saying will be explained further in the text. Rabbi Meir thus explained that Abraham did not have a daughter. This was a blessing for Abraham for he could not have married her except to the cursed sons of Canaan. If he were to send her to his country, she would also worship the idols as they did because a woman is subject to the authority of her husband. Indeed, Abraham did not want his worthy children from his wife Sarah to go outside the Land, and surely not that they worship the idols. Rabbi Yehudah, however, explained that Abraham did have a daughter since the Merciful One did not even cause him to lack a daughter, and that was the blessing implied by the expression, in all things, for he had everything that people desire, completely without exception. Then came Acheirim and mentioned the name of the daughter. Now truthfully, the intent of Acheirim and their controversy with Rabbi Yehudah were not merely to inform us of the name of this daughter. Far it be from them to expend the great and generalized blessing of Abraham on this matter, i.e., that Scripture is saying that G-d blessed him with one daughter with that name. However, Acheirim established a new interpretation on this verse, a very profound matter, and they explained with it one of the secrets of the Torah. Thus they said that the word bakol hints at a great matter, namely, that the Holy One, blessed be He, has an attribute called Kol (All), so called because it is the foundation of everything. It is with reference to this attribute that it says, I am the Eternal that maketh ‘Kol’ (all).68Isaiah 44:24. And this is also what Scripture says, And the profit of the earth is ‘bakol’ (in all),69Ecclesiastes 5:8. that is to say, the profit of the earth and the abundant goodness that is bestowed upon all that come into the world is on account of this attribute Kol. It is the eighth attribute of the thirteen attributes.70See Ramban Exodus 34:6. And there is another attribute called bath [literally “daughter”] that emanates from it, and with it He moves everything. This is “the Court of the Holy One, blessed be He,” that is hinted at in the word, Vahashem (And the Eternal), in all places. It is called kalah (bride) in the book of The Song of Songs because it is comprised of hakol (the All), and it is this attribute which the Sages have surnamed Knesseth Yisrael (the assembly of Israel) in many places because it is the gathering of hakol (the All). It was this attribute which was to Abraham as a bath because he was the man of kindness, and he conducted himself in accordance with it. This was why Acheirim said that this blessing with which Abraham had been blessed in all things does not allude either to his having begotten a daughter from his wife Sarah, as Rabbi Yehudah said, or not, as Rabbi Meir claimed, but instead it hints at a great matter, i.e., that he was blessed with an attribute called bath which is contained in the attribute Kol, and is therefore also called Kol, being analogous to the expression, For My name is in him.71Exodus 23:21. Thus Abraham was blessed in heaven and on earth. This is why he said, By the Eternal, the G-d of heaven and the G-d of the earth.72Verse 3 here.
This matter is to be found hinted at in the traditions of our Rabbis in many places. Thus they said in the Midrash Chazita:73Another name for the Midrash Rabbah on the Song of Songs. The name Chazita is derived from the first word in the verse with which this Midrash opens. ‘Chazita’ (Seest thou) a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings. (Proverbs 22:29.) The Midrash quoted is found ibid., 3:21. “Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai asked Rabbi Eliezer the son of Rabbi Yosi, ‘Have you possibly heard from your father of the meaning of the verse, The crown wherewith his mother hath crowned him?’74Song of Songs 3:11. He said to him, ‘Yes.’ He asked, ‘How?’ He replied, ‘It is like a king who had an only daughter whom he loved very much, and he would call her “my daughter.” This did not completely express his love for her until he called her “my sister.” Still he was not satisfied until he called her “my mother.” In the same way, the Holy One, blessed be He, loved Israel in the beginning and called them “My daughter.” It is this which Scripture says, Hearken, O daughter, and consider.75Psalms 45:11. This did not completely express His love for them until He called them “My sister,” as it is said, Open to me, my sister, my love.76Song of Songs 5:2. Still He was not satisfied until He called them “My mother,” as it is said, Attend unto Me, O My people, ‘ule’umi’ (O My nation).77Isaiah 51:4. The word is written le’imi (O My mother).’ Then Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai arose and kissed him on his head, and he said to him, ‘Had I come to listen to this word of yours it would have been sufficient.’…”
Now, had the commentator who prides himself on his knowledge of the Torah’s secrets78Reference here is to Ibn Ezra who often prides himself on knowing the secrets of the Torah but who, in the case of this Midrash concerning Abraham’s having a daughter by the name of Bakol, criticizes the interpretation by commenting that if that were the case, the word bakol should have had an additional letter beth preceding it and meaning “and G-d blessed Abraham ‘with’ bakol.” known this, his lips would be dumb and not deride the words of our Rabbis. Therefore, I have written this in order to silence those who speak arrogantly against the righteous one.79See Psalms 31:19.
Haamek Sheilah
BECAUSE OF THE DIVINE NATURE OF THE PROPHETS AND HAGIOGRAPHA, THEY HAD TO BE WRITTEN IN A PARTICULAR STYLE
THE EXPLANATION GIVEN above, however, is still not clear. Can it be that because God burdens [the people of Israel] with the twenty-four Books of the Prophets and the Hagiographa, [this prevents] them from sinning? Further, what kind of burden is this? [The burden of learning the twenty-four books] is unlike the toiling that is described in Tractate Betzah 25b, which we previously discussed [in the last chapter]. It was because of [the stubborn nature of the people of Israel] that they were commanded to toil in the study of Torah day and night, even beyond that which was needed to know how to practice, for this would weaken1Literally, “pluck the strength [of their evil inclination].” the strength [of their evil inclination] and soften their heart of stone. The Oral Law is called Tushiyah2Prov 3:21, 8:14, etc. Though this word is usually translated as “counsel” or “understanding,” it is linked here to the word mateshes – “weakens” (the body or the evil inclination). See Tractate Sanhedrin 26b, “[Pertaining to the verse (Isa. 28:29), ‘Wonderful is His tushiyyah, His counsel, great is His wisdom.’ R. Hanan said, Why is the Torah called tushiyyah? Because it weakens the strength of man.’” On Prov. 2:7, the Gaon of Vilna says that it weakens the evil inclination. because the light it contains [causes one] to return to the right [path]. However, by [merely] increasing the quantity of the Written Torah, no additional burden would be imposed [to occupy the Jewish people so as to prevent them from sinning].3The Netziv argues that the Prophets and Hagiographa do not require the kind of intense study necessary in learning the Oral Law. Another problem is that the wording of R. Hunia’s statement in Koheles Rabbah does not read well. What connection is there between toiling in the study of the Prophets and Hagiographa and the performance of precepts and righteous acts?4Also “charitable acts.”
THE EXPLANATION GIVEN above, however, is still not clear. Can it be that because God burdens [the people of Israel] with the twenty-four Books of the Prophets and the Hagiographa, [this prevents] them from sinning? Further, what kind of burden is this? [The burden of learning the twenty-four books] is unlike the toiling that is described in Tractate Betzah 25b, which we previously discussed [in the last chapter]. It was because of [the stubborn nature of the people of Israel] that they were commanded to toil in the study of Torah day and night, even beyond that which was needed to know how to practice, for this would weaken1Literally, “pluck the strength [of their evil inclination].” the strength [of their evil inclination] and soften their heart of stone. The Oral Law is called Tushiyah2Prov 3:21, 8:14, etc. Though this word is usually translated as “counsel” or “understanding,” it is linked here to the word mateshes – “weakens” (the body or the evil inclination). See Tractate Sanhedrin 26b, “[Pertaining to the verse (Isa. 28:29), ‘Wonderful is His tushiyyah, His counsel, great is His wisdom.’ R. Hanan said, Why is the Torah called tushiyyah? Because it weakens the strength of man.’” On Prov. 2:7, the Gaon of Vilna says that it weakens the evil inclination. because the light it contains [causes one] to return to the right [path]. However, by [merely] increasing the quantity of the Written Torah, no additional burden would be imposed [to occupy the Jewish people so as to prevent them from sinning].3The Netziv argues that the Prophets and Hagiographa do not require the kind of intense study necessary in learning the Oral Law. Another problem is that the wording of R. Hunia’s statement in Koheles Rabbah does not read well. What connection is there between toiling in the study of the Prophets and Hagiographa and the performance of precepts and righteous acts?4Also “charitable acts.”
Rabbeinu Bahya
We learned in Chulin 89 that the meaning of the words האמנם אלם צדק תדברון, (Psalms 58,2) is that the word אמנם has a dual meaning, the psalmist saying that the vocation of man in this life is to act as if he were silent (dumb). In the event you were to understand this message as also applying to the words of Torah, David hastens to add: צדק תדברון, “it is appropriate that you should speak words of Torah.” Solomon confirms this approach by his father when he says in Proverbs 3,21: “let them not depart from your eyes.” Seeing that the attributes (emanations) חכמה, תבונה, דעת are the ones which G’d employed in creating the universe it is fitting that you make them the subject of your conversation.